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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Sonic Drive-In vs The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Sonic Drive-In2026 FDDThe Honey Baked Ham Co.2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    $581,400 – $876,950

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    $15,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Royalty · Item 6

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    6%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    Before you compare

    • Sonic Drive-In figures come from its 2026 FDD and The Honey Baked Ham Co. figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Sonic Drive-In: 8, The Honey Baked Ham Co.: 32). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT (excluding free- standing real estate costs) (15) — 1485200
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    $581,400 – $876,950
    Total Estimated Initial Investment: $581,400–$876,950
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    $15,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%
    lows: Duration of Effective Royalty Fee Effective Royalty Fee Opening through Year 1 — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    6%
    Royalty
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    3.25%
    Advertising Fund contribution — 3.25%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    3,412
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    439
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    −109
    Calculated: 3,521 at end of 2023 → 3,412 at end of 2025

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    −1
    Calculated: 440 at end of 2022 → 439 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    The Honey Baked Ham Co.

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Sonic Drive-In
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile
    47 percent
    other 2nd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Restaurants
    1,338 restaurants
    other All Restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1st Quartile
    294 restaurants
    other 1st Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    +5 more groups in the full report
    The Honey Baked Ham Co.
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Stores in Table 1: franchised HoneyBaked Stores open at least three years d…
    $309,355
    other FY2024 net sales range, All Stores: $2,777,087–$309,355
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top Third of franchised HoneyBaked Stores open at least three years during Sept…
    $1,102,252
    other FY2024 net sales range, Top Third: $2,777,087–$1,102,252
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Middle Third of franchised HoneyBaked Stores open at least three years during S…
    $749,721
    other FY2024 net sales range, Middle Third: $1,099,991–$749,721
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    +29 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Sonic Drive-In vs The Honey Baked Ham Co.: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Sonic Drive-In or The Honey Baked Ham Co.?
    Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38); The Honey Baked Ham Co.: $581,400 – $876,950 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Honey Baked Ham Co.. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Sonic Drive-In and The Honey Baked Ham Co. royalties compare?
    Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34); The Honey Baked Ham Co.: 6% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Sonic Drive-In or The Honey Baked Ham Co.?
    Sonic Drive-In: 3,412 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); The Honey Baked Ham Co.: 439 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Sonic Drive-In and The Honey Baked Ham Co. disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; The Honey Baked Ham Co. has reviewed Item 19 figures for 32 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full The Honey Baked Ham Co. report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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